Notes

Epilogue

EIGHT YEARS LATER...

ARIANA

Music: Ending Demo from Super Mario 64

As you probably guessed, Sam and Elle did get engaged. Today was their wedding day, and Sam, being the social person he is, invited a good portion of his childhood friends. I was there, along with Heath, Jack, Skylar, Sean, Shanna, and a few other people.

I was busy chatting with Skylar when I heard the sound of doors opening, and the entire room fell silent. It was only then that I realized that Sam was already up at the front of the church we were in. Elle wore a short, light-blueish dress and wore white gloves on her hands. She looked absolutely stunning as her dad accompanied her down the aisle and up to the front, where she met up with Sam.

After that, the typical ceremony business began, and I overheard Shanna whisper, "They're perfect. I always knew they were."

"I'm pretty sure we all saw this coming," Heath whispered with a chuckle.

"Considering that they've been dating since, like, 7th grade, I'm inclined to agree with you there, Heath," Skylar muttered.

"Shh! Be quiet!" I said, hushing them. At that moment came the "I do"s came, followed by the kissing, which looked... like any other time they kissed, to be honest.

JACK

Music: Family from Super Mario Galaxy

The wedding afterparty (one of the main reasons I came in the first place) was just about to begin. There was a cake, a band, everything. All of us were having cocktails and having a grand old time when a man walked into the room, drawing everyone's attention to him and silencing the room.

The man was none other than Mr. Button, leader of the MIPS group.

"I hate to put a damper on the mood here. After all, it is supposed to be a happy day celebrating the joining of two hearts into one," Mr. Button started to say.

"W-what do you mean?" Elle asked, a pinch of nervousness in her voice.

Mr. Button cleared his throat and got out a handkerchief to wipe his eyes of the moistness that fell from them. "This is really hard for me to tell you guys this... but now that you're old enough, all of you need to have your powers removed."

This stirred commotion amongst every one of us who had powers in the room. "Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed.

"This isn't fair! I've had so much fun with this!" Shanna shouted, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Mr. Button held up a hand to receive some quiet, and he told us, "I know, I know. It's hard for me, too. But the process is short and painless, and after all these years, you can finally be considered normal people now. Come with me after the party's over to begin the process."

Mr. Button left right then and there, leaving the whole room in a confused and depressed state. The mood for the rest of the night, while not depressing in general, was still upsetting to each of us. Each minute that passed meant one more minute until what took up most of our childhoods was gone.

SHANNA

Music: Credits from Namco Museum Vol. 3

After the party was said and done, we all drove ourselves to the MIPS headquarters to get our powers erased once and for all. Luke was not there at the time because he had been sent away to somewhere far, far away where his alchemy was needed, and Chomata (another old friend of ours) was probably invisible somewhere.

That being said, anyone else who had powers was here to get their powers erased. That meant everyone at the wedding, Abbey, Isabelle, Anastasia, Libby, Joseph, Quavando, and Ariel, the latter 5 other old friends of ours.

We sat at a table, no one saying anything, until Mr. Button and two other men came in with a large contraption. Inside was a glass room-looking thing, probably just barely big enough to fit all of us in there.

"This is going to be hard. I know it is," Mr. Button began to say. "But it will be worth it. Now that you all are old enough, your help, and thus, your powers, are no longer needed. They will be passed down to a new generation of Powerful Kids, although probably not all in the same area."

Then Mr. Button opened the doors of the contraption, and looked at us. Taking a deep breath, we all stood up and walked slowly towards the machine that would take away our special abilities. As I began walking, memories came flooding back to me. Memories of the encounters with Thomas, the Sins, our space adventures, saving a bunch of people from evildoers, and saving the US from Russians. Memories of all the battles we fought and the hardships encountered to get where we were today. Memories of all the times I simply used my power for fun.

Memories of our friendships, and the fun we had over the span of our childhoods.

It was these thoughts going through my head as the doors to the machine closed, Mr. Button instructed for us to shut our eyes, and the white light flashed down on us.

SAM

This part + "ending" music: Staff Roll from Super Mario 64

As I walked outside of the MIPS building, I felt... different. I hadn't physically or mentally changed, but something about me seemed odd. Like a part of me was missing, part of me that I've had for so long. I knew what that thing was, and I also knew I could never get it back now.

But I also knew it was for the best. Now, we could all begin our lives as adults. As parents. As workers. We were finally normal, and all that was left to do was see what the future holds for us now.

Everyone else was laughing, conversing, and either feeling pained or joyous that their powers were gone now. A few feet away from the MIPS building, I stopped and looked back at the building, and the memories of my childhood came flooding back once more.

The memories were interrupted by Elle calling out, "Sam!" I turned back to Elle and ran for her, leaving all of those memories in the past.

This is now. And it's time to see what now holds in store for us.

THE END!